Classix Nouveaux - Secret

[Rubellan]

It appears this CD is finally being released on June 19. It's begun appearing on various sites, though no track listing has been posted. Like the previous releases, it is also on Cherry Red. I've e-mailed them to obtain the track listing. I provided an updated track listing to them last year which they were going to apply for. The original track listing only included 2 bonus tracks. I was trying to get 5 or 6. I'll post details once confirmed.

[wozgo]

Thanks for the info Rubellan. It will be nice to complete the CN collection with this issue. I enjoy this album, and can listen to it all the way through without a problem. It has a good flow. I know there are some that don't care for this album in particular, but I'm in the camp that thinks Classix Nouveaux can do no wrong [8D]

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[Barmy]

And what about the Sal Solo solo album?

[Ollie Stench]

I don't think Sal ever made a (non-Christian) solo album. All I know of is the Heart & Soul single and the Heartbeat single that was credited to Sal Solo with Classix Nouveaux.

[Barmy]

I think Heart & Soul was an LP too.

[Rubbeet921]

[quote][i]Originally posted by wozgo[/i]
...I know there are some that don't care for this album in particular, but I'm in the camp that thinks Classix Nouveaux can do no wrong [8D]

[/quote]

LOL, count me in! Will surely be on the look-out for this release!

[fiftypercent]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]
<br>I don't think Sal ever made a (non-Christian) solo album. All I know of is the Heart & Soul single and the Heartbeat single that was credited to Sal Solo with Classix Nouveaux.
[/quote]

Not so! I recently found the cassette version of the "Heart & Soul" LP on ebay. This album was released in 1985 on MCA records. Tracklisting is as follows: Heartbeat/Poland/Shout Shout/San Damiano/Contact/Music & You/Go Now/Forever Be

The cassette version includes extended remixes of five of the tracks.

[Ollie Stench]

Wow. I've been a hardcore Classix fan since about 1982 and I never knew about this. I can't believe it flew under my radar for 20 years! is it any good?

[Rubellan]

Though I never owned the actual "Heart and Soul" LP, I did have a number of singles from it. I bought them all at once, purely because it was Sal Solo. I had no idea how awful they were going to be. This was just after he became religious, and it saturated the records. Even though one single was marketed as Sal Solo w/Classix Nouveaux, none of it sounded remotely Classix to me. To see him go from the Nosferatu of the first LP to the light and airy religious singer was a total shock. I had heard the album was going to be released on CD, though I never pursued to find out who and when. It was of no interest.

[fiftypercent]

Seeing as Ollie has asked the question, and Rubellan has thrown down the gauntlet, here are some interesting facts and my opinions of this period of Sal's career (1984-1987):

1. The single "San Damiano (Heart and Soul)" was indeed written in the wake of Sal's pilgrimage with Nick Beggs of Kajagoogoo to the town of San Damiano in Italy. Personally I find the track very uplifting and it would be great to own on CD as only the extended mix has ever been released in this format.

2. The track "Heartbeat" was originally released in 1984 and is probably closest in tone to a Classix tune. The extended remix is one of my favorites and I would hope both versions find their way onto a remastered CD.

3. Many people do not know that Sal fronted an Italian band called the Rockets (also Roketz) after Classix and while releasing solo material. The album "Imperception" has some good new wave tunes on it and also featured "Contact" which also made it to the Heart & Soul album.

4. I'm also rather partial to the track "Music And You" which I first found buried at the end of a hits compilation LP. It's an interesting meditation that there are more important things than being a singer in a band - and you can view that in a religious light or simply as a statement on close relationships. Either way the religious tone is subtle and not at all dogmatic. Ultravox probably had more overt imagery on their "Quartet" album (which I also love by the way). Again, bring on the remastered CD!

5. The rest of the tracks have some nice moments, but I think the reissue really ought to include some of the extended mixes I mentioned and also the B-Side track "Just A Feeling" would be a welcome inclusion.

If you like early new romantic music and nothing else, this album is probably not your cup of tea. But then I didn't buy remastered CD's recently by B-Movie, Strawberry Switchblade, and Thomas Leer because I liked every track - I'm perfectly happy to mine the gems and allow some great music moments to be preserved on my format of choice - the CD.

[Barmy]

Sal disavows "Heart & Soul" on his website, so it can't be all bad.

[Ollie Stench]

I always thought The Rockets were French. I've never been able to hear anything by them though.

[Rubellan]

Unfortunately, the only response I've received so far about this can only confirm the original 9 album tracks. The track listing has also appeared on CD universe, and it only lists the 9 tracks. I am waiting for final confirmation of this because it would be a very unfortunate thing, considering the previous releases included bonus material, and I provided a great list of bonus tracks at their request.

[Rubbeet921]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Ollie Stench[/i]
<br>I always thought The Rockets were French. I've never been able to hear anything by them though.
[/quote]

I have the self-titled album and all the songs are quite good! Here's a sample:

1 - Rockets - Some Other Place, Some Other Time.mp3 (7 MB)

Link: http://download.yousendit.com/2A65DD3D6FEBD83D

[Ollie Stench]

Thanks for the song! Is the rest of the album similar? Is it worth tracking down?